1. Additional Science: rationale and assessment
Concepts-led science course. This is the course which is most like the previous Double Award Science courses.

2. Additional Science Additional Science
introduces the scientific concepts needed for further study
emphasises models and explanations
full GCSE A*–G
progression to science AS courses
There are two distinct Additional courses, each a full GCSE course. They are called Additional Science and Additional Applied Science. Additional Science is a concepts-led course.
Additional Applied Science is quite different, a techniques-led course. See the Powerpoint presentation on Additional Applied Science.
OUP resource packages have been piloted for all these courses.

3. Additional Science modules
Homeostasis B
Chemical patterns C
Explaining motion P
Growth and development B
Chemicals of the natural environment C
Electric circuits P
Brain and mind B
Synthesis C
The wave model of radiation P
Note that Additional Science has 9 compulsory modules.
(In the other Additional course, Additional Applied Science, students study 3 modules, each three times as long as the 9 modules in this course. See the Powerpoint presentation on Additional Applied Science)
Resource packages have been piloted for all these courses.

4. How is it same/different from Double Award?
Some modules familiar, e.g. Homeostasis, Chemical patterns
Some new material, e.g. Brain & mind
Some different approaches, e.g. Explaining motion
Some modules explore topics to greater depth, e.g. Growth and development
Internal assessment is an Investigation – but this is not Sc1. Work should encourage the development of an investigative approach by young scientists.
This is the C21 course which is most like Double Award.

5. Investigation Year 10 investigate forces
Not current Sc1 - no prediction ‘hoop’
Pilot experience supports easier marking
Flexibility for more open-ended work if you wish
What is given below is only an indication. Check the OCR instructions and criteria for the Investigation yourself. These are given in the Additional Science specification. Download this from
Students doing Additional Science may be planning to take science post-GCSE.
For these students, planning and carrying out an investigation is important.
However, the prediction/planning criteria for Sc1 has been very limiting.
There is no prediction requirement in the investigation – no need for students to explain what they think will happen, and then do it again when they’ve shown that it does!
Planning criteria does give credit for preliminary work, for example, deciding on a suitable range, in the way that ‘real’ scientists would.
Students plan their experiment, carry out, interpret and evaluate the data.
Year 10 investigate forces

6. Modelling asteroid impact
Example of investigation results from a lower ability student.
Varying the height of the drop, more able students can calculate the kinetic energy and speed of their ‘asteroid’.
They do this by assuming gravitational potential energy, P.E = K.E
mgh =mu2/2
Where h = vertical distance the marble falls
g = gravitational field strength = 10N/kg
v = speed of marble
m = mass of marble.
If depth of craters produced is proportional to the momentum of the marble, then plotting depth2 against h should result in a straight line.

7. Investigations
One whole investigation – not bits of marks from different ones
What is the structure of the Investigation (S, C, I, E, P)?
How is ‘Strategy’ different from ‘Planning’?
prediction – move to hypothesis without lengthy explanation
autonomy – what’s this in practice?
What if we provide more structure?
What sort of activities can we do?
See the OCR guidance given in the Additional Science specification. Download this from